ANN ARBOR -- One of the main differences in philosophy between Al Borges and Doug Nussmeier resides in the backfield.

Borges, Michigan's former offensive coordinator, held firm belief during his three years on campus that a No. 1 featured running back should get most of, if not all, of the team's carries on game day.

Nussmeier, Michigan's current offensive coordinator, believes the opposite. Multiple running backs means fresher bodies and possibly more production in the long run.

So what's head coach Brady Hoke's take on all this?

He says he agrees with Nussmeier -- and really always has. The main difference? Michigan is now in a position, he believes, where it has the depth to lean on more than just one runner.

"I think, if you go back, I've always been in favor of playing more than one back," Hoke said. "But you have to have that other back (established) to play more than one."

Michigan began the 2013 season handing carries almost exclusively to senior Fitz Toussaint, who finished the season with 646 yards on 183 carries.

The Wolverines ultimately moved toward giving more carries to current sophomores Derrick Green and De'Veon Smith, but -- outside of the season-opener -- Green received double-digit carries just four times, while 19 of Smith's 26 carries came after mid-November.

In 2012, Michigan made an attempt to get Thomas Rawls going as a supplement to Toussaint, but that never really panned out -- and the team basically defaulted to Denard Robinson as its lead runner. In 2011, Toussaint broke the 1,000-yard barrier -- but did so after roughly four weeks of splitting carries.

Moving into 2014, both Hoke and Nussmeier believe they've got the depth -- mainly with Green and Smith -- to at least roll with a two-headed back.

"I think our depth is much better now," Hoke said. "(Before), it just didn't work out that way."

Michigan is also repping former defensive back Ross Douglas at running back this spring. Hoke says he's been encouraged by Douglas' progress so far, and will make an ultimate determination at the end of camp about whether or not he'll stay in the offensive backfield -- or move back to defense.

In addition, the Wolverines are also getting carries for redshirt freshman Wyatt Shallman (6-foot-3, 243) and hope to get sophomore Drake Johnson involved as soon as he's fully recovered from ACL surgery.